


When the Star Glows, the Heart Grows

by Bellimoon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Childhood Memories, Christmas, Christmas Shopping, Gen, Holidays, Memories, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 23:10:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11195424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellimoon/pseuds/Bellimoon
Summary: During the holiday season, Chloe Bourgeois is asked to donate her old childhood toys. After finding a light-up star from her past, she recalls an event during the same time as a young girl.Written for the A Little Light fanzine[http://a-little-light-zine.tumblr.com]





	When the Star Glows, the Heart Grows

With a toss of her hair and a pout on her lips, Chloe threw open the doors to her former nursery.

 

A light layer of dust was stirred into a cloud, the particles illuminated by the light shining from behind. It was too dark to see anything but the nearest piles of toys, so she flipped the switch and beheld her massive collection of youthful indulgences.

 

The nursery, later doubling as a play den and now a storage room, was filled to the brim with a variety of trinkets, knickknacks, and baubles. Anything a child could want sat unused and unloved in the abandoned room. Everything still remained in almost like-new condition; nothing had been played with for long before Chloe had moved on to the next object of fascination.

 

She wouldn't have given the place a second thought if not for her father. He had insisted that Chloe donate a selection of old toys to a holiday charity. Neither truly felt anything in the spirit of it—the thought of peasant children was horribly distasteful—, but it was, as her father had put it, “good for their reputation and would increase the chances of a reelection.”

 

_ Bah, humbug _ .

 

Chloe picked over the items, giving a second-glance to none. Whichever caught her eye as ugly and dull, she pulled it from its place and tossed it across the doorway. She figured she could get away with giving the bare minimum, and that was what she planned to do. There were better things to do with her time, and charity simply did not make the list.

 

Chloe stuck her hand into a wooden chest, feeling around for something small and insignificant. Out came a plastic horse, a ballerina figurine, and, lastly, a tiny plastic star. At the press of her fingers, it began to pulse with a warm, golden glow.

 

The familiar light aroused a memory that had been stowed away, left to collect the dust of time and age.

* * *

 

Snowflakes clung stubbornly to Chloe’s hair. She was relieved to escape from the insistent flurry of white as she and her father entered the department store. An entourage of body guards trailed after the mayor and his young daughter, long since faded into the background of familiarity.

 

No more than five years of age, Chloe gripped her father’s hand as they paraded around the floor. Mayor Bourgeois had brought the girl to Paris’ largest toy shop, where only the richest children could dare to explore. Chloe hardly batted a lash at the grandeur and luxury.

 

The pair passed sprawling shelves of colorful and enticing toys. She was to pick anything she wanted—and there was so much to choose from. Planes and trains and cars. Dolls and dresses and dainty little tea sets. Balls and board games and puzzles… The overwhelming desire to have anything and everything made Chloe giddy with excitement.

 

And then… she saw it.

 

Sitting on a pile of identical shimmering boxes, a finely dressed doll smiled down at the girl. With voluminous blonde hair, a cranberry-red gown, and cheery painted lips,  there was nothing else that Chloe could see. It was the one.

 

As soon as she had laid eyes on her prize, she was swept around the corner and taken further into the store.

 

Desire seized Chloe with a demanding grip. Nothing else in the world would ever satisfy her until she had that doll in her possession. Her heart was set, and Chloe  _ always _ got what she wanted.

 

She whined to her father to go back. Her hair whipped her cheek as she turned her head, yearning to go back for the toy. Her free hand pointed behind, outstretched for that which she could no longer see.

 

Chloe was only tugged along. “There is still more that you haven’t seen yet,” explained her father. “Why don’t we finish having a look around?”

 

“ _ No _ ,” she wailed, fat tears budding in her eyes. “I want the doll, and I want it  _ now _ !” Chloe stamped her foot against the marbled floor, rubbing a tiny fist against her wet cheeks.

 

Her father looked at her in panic, eager to placate his daughter’s fiery temper. “Okay, we’ll go back and—”

 

Not waiting to hear the end of his sentence, Chloe tore her hand from her father’s grasp and dashed away. She ducked between the legs of the guards who made a grab for her, as wild and reckless and flitting as only a child could be.

 

Running through the store, the only goal in mind was to return to the holiday doll that had entranced her so. However, it soon came to Chloe’s realization that she had no knowledge of where to go, much less of where she was now. When before the tall aisles had provided a convenient means for escape, they now looked more like the walls of a labyrinth.

 

Chloe began to cower and shake. The shelves formed a suffocating barricade. The toys leered down at her mockingly.  _ Are you lost, little girl? Can’t find Mommy and Daddy? _

 

But it was not the toys who had spoken, though at first it felt that they had. Chloe spun around, surprised to see an elderly woman peering at her with worry and concern.

 

Chloe’s eyes were bloodshot and puffy from crying. Her nose dripped with mucus, and she reached an arm up to wipe it away.

 

Before she could bring her sleeve to her face, the woman tutted disapprovingly and pulled a tissue from her purse. “Here,  _ cherie _ , use this instead. We wouldn’t want you to ruin those nice clothes of yours, no?”

 

Chloe hesitantly reached out for the tissue. The woman was smiling kindly and appeared to have no ill-intent. She snatched it from her hand and blew into the paper with a loud honk.

 

“There, there, child. No more tears,  _ d’accord _ ?”

 

Chloe nodded, wadding up the tissue and shoving it into a pocket.

 

“How would you like some candy?” A round, red-striped mint was placed in the girl’s palm.

 

Chloe looked down at the candy. “Daddy said not to take candy from strangers; they could take me away.”

 

The woman laughed. “He’s right. But an old grandma like me can’t put up much of a fight against someone like you.”

 

“Grandma? Do you have grandkids like me?”

 

“I do. A little girl about your age. She loves these mints, so I thought you might like one, too. But, I suppose if you don’t want it…”

 

Chloe pulled her hand back, fingers closing protectively around the sweet. “No, I want it.” She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth. It melted on her tongue instantly, a delightful burst of sugar that made everything feel a little bit better.

 

The woman turned back to her purse, fishing out one more item for the girl. A small yellow star was held between her fingers. She put it on the palm of Chloe’s hand. “Look,” she said, and pressed gently on its center.

 

Chloe watched wide-eyed as the star began to light up, casting a soft halo of gold onto her skin. Her eyes shone with wonder, catching the light and reflecting it a hundred times over.  She felt her chest loosen, her shoulders relax. The glow wavered slowly, dimming faintly before regaining its bright light. Over and over, like a heartbeat, like steady breathing.

 

It was only Chloe and the star and the light.

 

She felt… hopeful, again. All of her worries faded away, like being in a loving embrace. There was no thought but joy and warmth and happiness. There was no thought but  _ light _ .

 

Chloe was shaken from her stupor as the intercom crackled to life.

 

_ Miss Chloe Bourgeois, please come to the front of the store. Mister Bourgeois is waiting for you at Customer Assistance. _

 

Chloe blinked, remembering her situation. A fresh wave of tears threatened to overtake her; she still didn’t know the way to her father.

 

Sensing this, the woman took her hand. “You are Chloe, I presume?” The girl nodded her confirmation. “All right, then. I’ll take you to your dad. I’m sure he’s worried sick about you.”

 

She lead Chloe out of the maze of shelving, back to the wide walkways along the edge. Chloe clutched the toy star as if were a lifeline, not realizing the pair had long since passed the doll she had previously wanted.

 

Soon, as if it had been both forever and no time at all, Chloe saw her father standing anxiously at the front of the store, wringing his hands in worry.

 

She took a hasty step forward, but paused. Looking back at the elderly woman who had cared for and comforted her, Chloe was reluctant to return the little light in her palm.

 

The woman smiled encouragingly. “Keep it.” She let go of Chloe’s hand.

 

The girl ran towards her father, crying out, “Daddy!”

 

The man turned to her in surprise and joy, gathering his daughter in his arms and lifting her in the air. The two spun, and Chloe’s father pulled her into a crushing embrace.

 

In all seriousness, he asked her a flurry of questions, fretting over his child. The mayor scolded the guards for doing a poor job, then scolded his daughter for running away. Chloe didn’t care. All was well again, after all.

 

“What about that thing—the doll?” Her father furrowed his brows. “Don’t you still want it?”

 

Chloe shook her head. She told him she didn’t want to stay any longer; Chloe was finished for the day.

 

Her father was surprised, but followed her request to return home. He had Chloe and she had him, and that was all they needed.

* * *

 

Chloe’s heart fluttered with those long forgotten feelings. The star seemed smaller now that she had grown, but the power of its light only grew.

 

As if she had opened her eyes for the first time, Chloe began to appreciate the world around her, even if only in the slightest bit. The toys around her no longer felt like junk, but she didn’t want to keep them for herself. There was something she had to do.

 

Chloe dashed out of the room and to her father, who jumped in place at her sudden appearance.

 

“Chloe? Did you pick out what you want?”

 

“I’ll give everything away,” she said, her voice strong as it had never been before. “Tell someone to send down every single piece.”

 

Her father frowned. “Now, you know you don’t have to donate  _ everything _ —”

 

“I want to.” Chloe turned the star around with her fingertips. “All except this one,” she added quietly.

 

And so it was. The news rejoiced over the generous gift of toys for the children's charity, applauding the unexpected kindness from the mayor’s family. Chloe didn’t care for the gratitude; for once, she took pleasure in the simple act of giving. 

  
As for the little star, she placed it permanently on her night stand, so that she may find solace in its hopeful light again.


End file.
